It's Only A Paper Moon
The New York Trio Lyrics
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Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Without your love
It's a honky tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
It's phony it's plain to see
How happy I would be
If you believed in me
The song It's Only a Paper Moon by The New York Trio is a beautiful representation of how one person's belief in the other can make even the most unrealistic and imaginary things seem real. The song begins by describing a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, which seems like a mere imagination or a make-believe world. However, the situation can turn into reality or become something more significant when someone believes in you.
The verses confirm that imagination can become real or true, as long as one person has faith in the other. The canvas sky and the muslin tree hanging above the sky or sea, respectively, are also fake until someone believes in you. The song says that, without love, life is just a honky-tonk parade, and the world seems unreal, just like the Barnum and Bailey Circus without their performers.
The song concludes by stating that the world is phony and plain to see, but the singer would be happy if only the other person believed in them. Consequently, the song revolves around the significance of belief and how it can turn imagination into reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Let me tell you, this moon up there is nothing more than a bunch of paper put together.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
This moon is floating above a cardboard mockup of a sea.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
But if you just trusted me and put your faith in me, it wouldn't be a lie anymore.
If you believed in me
Only if you trust me and have faith in me.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Yes, the sky is no more than a canvas painted in blue.
Hanging over a muslin tree
It is hanging under a tree made of muslin cloth.
Without your love
If I don't have your love,
It's a honky tonk parade
This whole world is just a meaningless, superficial party
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's like a mechanical tune played in a cheap arcade full of games and amusements.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
It's akin to the surreal and exaggerated world put up by Barnum and Bailey's circus.
Just as phony as it can be
The world is as false and contrived as it can get.
It's phony it's plain to see
It's quite evident that everything is fake and artificial here.
How happy I would be
I would be so overjoyed and happy,
If you believed in me
Only if you could trust me and believe in me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@whodatboywhohimis
yeah the king krule sample was amazing